356 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Noy., 1902. 
‘““ We will describe a totally different method of preparation adopted in 
China, which consists of rasping the ginger. A fine powder is thus obtained, 
which can be desiccated in a perfect manner, and which is used as a condiment 
by the Chinese. 
“From what has been said, it results that the plan of curing adopted 
in Jamaica is the best, admitting as it does of the production of white ginger. 
“ Yellow ginger has the finest aroma, and is preferred to the blue. In any 
case, the young shoots, having a mild taste and possessing less aroma, are not 
much in demand. 
“Hssence of ginger is obtained by distilling the rhizomes with water; the 
steam of the water carries with it the essence which is afterwards collected. 
There are several qualities of commercial ginger. The best quality consists of 
the largest hands, of a light and uniform colour, showing no trace of mould. 
“This class of ginger is very fragile, and easily breaks; but broken hands. 
diminish the value. Buyers demand hands with full fingers, firm, and without 
wrinkles or spot. 
“The first quality is subdivided into five kinds—small and wrinkled hands 
being the lowest. Another quality is black ginger; a third, flinty; and a 
fourth, the ginger produced from suckers. Each of those last three kinds is 
divided into two sub-qualities, and in the first are placed perfect hands. 
The product .of the suckers is the cheapest, as it small, black, watery, and 
wanting in aroma. 
“ Ginger taken up green wrinkles very much in drying. It is less aromatic 
and less sharp to the taste than that which is gathered at maturity. 
“ Moulded ginger shows spots, and the mouldiness sets up a decomposition 
which affects the aroma. 
“Tf imperfectly dried ginger is put into bags, it will be certain to contract 
a mouldy smell, which cannot afterwards be got rid of 
“The trade in ginger is an important one. Since 1885 the export from the: 
West Indies has more than doubled. 
‘Tt is difficult to ascertain the cost of production; but it would appear 
that the crop is not very remunerative. But it must be noted that ginger is 
everywhere cultivated by small planters, who make use of their families for the 
purpose. Large proprietors grow very little ginger, because the work demands 
much outlay, and its cultivation is not in their line. 
“The yield per acre is from 1,000 to 1,500 lb., with a maximum of 
2,000 1b.” 
CULTIVATION OF PEPPER. 
The Pepper Plant (Piper nigrum) isa perennial creeper, which is cultivated 
in Mexico, Java, Sumatra, Honduras, Mauritius, Tahiti, and in Southern India. 
Although a tropical plant, it is much hardier than many other spices, such as. 
cloves, nutmegs, &c., and will grow perfectly well and produce fruit in Queens- 
land. The limit of its profitable culture was placed by Crawford at lat. 5degreess. 
to 12 degrees N.and long. 96 degrees to 115 degrees E., but so many purely tropical 
plants have been shown to have found a congenial home in this State, which 
it was supposed could not possibly be grown on a commercial scale in any other: 
country than that in which they had been cultivated for many years, that it is. 
not atall unreasonable to believe that the pepper vine, if properly treated, will 
Proxe a commercial success in Queensland. hat the vine will grow luxuriantly 
ere has long ago been proved. The most suitable part of the State for its. 
cultivation is the Northern coast country, where the rainfall is heavy and 
certain, say, from 80 to 100 inches per annum. 
The plant loves a deep, well-drained vegetable soil, but it will grow in any 
soil where water does not lie stagnant. Of course on poor sandy soils or on stiff 
clays heavy crops are not to be expected. The vines are propagated either from 
cuttings or from seed. he cuttings should be about 18 inches long. The 
ends of the vines make the best cuttings. As the piant is a climber, it 
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